Best Places to eat in Jodhpur

Best Places to eat in Jodhpur

Jodhpur is one city that’s closest to my heart. I always say, I was born in Amritsar but it was in Jodhpur that I realized that I existed. The land of bright sun, blue walls and pretty pink bougainvilleas, I remember this place as a city where people and places are eternally enveloped in a sea of colours. And, just like their clothes, the food in Jodhpur is also as colourful.

Food in this beautiful city is deliciously rich, vibrant and edgy. From fiery curries to utterly sweet lassis, it’s a land of complete contrast. The Blue City where water is invaluable, the city relies heavily on dairy to make traditional food. Ghee and curd form the basis for many traditional Rajasthani dishes along with locally grown Mathaniya red chilies. So, for anyone who is fond of spicy food, Jodhpur has plenty of dishes to offer.

Whether it’s early morning or late afternoon, one can see people gorging on spicy badas or sweet lassi in every nook and cranny of the city. I found great food avenues wherever I ventured in the city. My favourites are the ones mentioned below:

Gypsy

If you’re new to this cuisine, Gypsy is your bet. Ticking all the right boxes for a quintessential tourist friendly place, offering you just about every dish that you need to eat to get acquainted with the local food. Rajasthani Thali consisting of DaalBati Choorma, Besan ke Gatte, Kadi, Kheech, Khamman, LehsunChutney, KerSangri, Bajri Ka Sogra, Poori, Chaach, Ghevarand few more additional dishes (not all local). I had one lunch meal here and I didn’t need to eat anything till 9:30 at night. One can have unlimited servings of the dishes and order for a spoonful of ghee as well. My favourite in the thali were Kadi and Besan Ke Gatte, both curd based curries and predominantly tangy with hint of hot chilies.

OdhaniRestaurant & Café

No trip to Rajasthan should be complete without a plate of Laal Maas. After much deliberation, we reached Odhani Restaurant and Café and ordered for Lal Maas, Rabori ki Sabzi, Sangri ki Sabzi, Bajri Ki Sogra. I loved the tender and well-cooked Goat meat in a curry made with mathaniya chillies, yoghurt and ghee. With bold pronounced spices this curry tasted heavenly with Bajri Ki Sogra/Roti. The curry reminded me of the Rajputana Mutton curry that I had inJaipur. However, the star of the meal was Rabori ki Sabzi, a lesser known Rajasthani traditional dish made with papad. Made with besan, once the Papad are dried, they’re soaked in buttermilk and then added to yoghurt based hot-tangy curry with big chunks of tomatoes-onions and ginger-garlic. The food was fantastic! Although, when we had entered the restaurant was empty, which did make us doubt the place initially. But, I was pleasantly surprised. Not only did the food taste good, even the staff was courteous and truly eager, offering helpful recommendations for food pairings.

Surya Namkeen

Pyaaz kachori – Surya Namkeen Jalori Gate

Surya Namkeen – Jodhpur

Mirchi Bada – Surya Namkeen – Jalori Gate

Meal for two: Rs 100

Address: Jalori Gate Circle, Sardarpura, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342001

Like most people, I have always been going to Rawat Mishthan Bhandar and Janta Sweet Homefor my share of Mirchi Bada and Pyaaz Kachori. They’re good places to have the city’s most famous snacks. However, a very friendly Uber driver suggested that we try Surya Namkeen. He said, most locals prefer to eat there. Then my mother came back from her morning walk with a list of recommended places that a local guy had made. Surya Namkeen was on top of that list. Without much ado, Gurjas and I reached Surya Namkeen. AND, I must mention, that I have never had tastier Pyaaz kachori than this. The coating made of refined flour has a delicious tangy filling of potatoes, tons of onions, chilies and masalas along with a strong flavour of nimbu ka sat. This taste is ubiquitous to Jodhpur. Samosa, MirchiBada and many other snacks in the entire Rajasthan will have filling made of potatoes seasoned with masalas, chilies and nimbu ka sat. The hot and sour flavour combination is basis for most savoury dishes here. In Mirchi bada they put the same potato masala and Bhavnagri Chilly, which is then coated with a batter made of Besan and deep fried. I loved these snacks so much that invariably I got them packed in boxes to carry back home.

Arora

Arora – Jalori Gate

Khamman

Lehsun Kofta

Meal for two: Rs 100 – 150

Address: Jalori Gate Circle, Sardarpura, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342001

I am so happy I made a trip to Surya and discovered Arora, located right opposite to Surya at the same roundabout. The big board on the shop mentioned Lehsun ka Kofta that caught my attention and I immediately ordered one for myself. Even though I have lived in Jodhpur as a kid and had Pyaaz Kachori and Mirchi Bada, almost on a daily basis, I had never heard of Lehsun ka Kofta. Made exactly like Mirchi Bada, it however, had tons of garlic cloves inside. The cloves weren’t cut or crushed, they were just peeled and put inside the potato filling just as it is. I absolutely loved it and got 5 of them packed. This shop also offers delicious Khamman (Dhokla),Kadi – Daal Kachori and the best Chaach (buttermilk) I had anywhere in the city. And none of these dishes required any chutney, sauce, pickle to eat along, they were flavourful just on their own.

Sri Mishrilal Hotel

Meal for two: Rs 70 -100

Address: Clock Tower, Sardar Market, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342001

Located in Sardar Market near the famous Clock Tower, Shri Mishri Lal is famous for serving the finest Makhaniya Lassi in the city. Believe me, after mouthful of the spicy-hot savoury dishes, a glass of sweet lassi is a blessing. Made from hung curd, the lassi is creamy, thick, rich and smooth. Flavoured with Kewra, saffron and cardamom, it’s served with spoonful of unsweetened white butter (makkhan) on top. As for my personal liking, it was too sweet and quite a huge serving. However, if you have a sweet tooth, you’re in for a heavenly treat. They also have Rabri, BesanKiChakki and few more sweets on their menu.

Shandar Sweet Home

Ever heard of Gulab Jamun ki Sabzi? Yes, the same Gulab Jamun that we all know as a sweet, it’s served here as savoury dish called Gulab Jamun Ki sabzi. Made with dollops of ghee the unsweetened dry gulab jamuns are dunked inside a curry made with Khoya (dried thickened milk), cashews, salt and chilies. The super rich curry can be best enjoyed with naan and LehsunChutney on the side. The lehsunchutney served here at Shandar is a bit dry, thick and very hot, which compliments the subtle flavour of the curry very well. This style of food is distinct to this area of the city, as the humble eatery is located near The Blue City, which is popular for having maximum outlets for Khoya and Dairy produce in the city. I also had cool Dahi Bada with sweet curd and fruits, which I loved. Their other popular dishes are Chakki ki Sabzi, Govind Gatte, Haldi Pyaaz lehsun and Fruit Cream. The food in this side of the city is distinct, however it’s worth a shot.

Janta Sweet Home

Mawa Kulfi

Janta Sweet Home – Jodhpur

Mawa Kachori – Janta Sweet home

Meal for two: Rs 100 – 150

Address: 3, Nai Sarak, Nai Sarak Chauraha, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342001

For the longest time, I have been a huge fan of Janta Sweet Home. I remember my parents would get Pyaaz Kachori, Mirchi Bada and Mawa Kachori from here and we (my siblings and I) would gorge on these snacks with so much joy. They also have samosa, jalebi, ghevar, khamman, lassis, chaach, kulfi, icecreams, Marwari namkeens and so much more. It’s hugely popular and can be your one stop shop for your quest for Marwari snacks.

Shahi Samosa

Piping hot, freshly fried, big sized samosas with generous potato filling, eat here if you’d like samosa for a meal. The quintessentially tangy-spicy potato filling stuffed inside the crunchy coating, is hugely popular. The locals like to sandwich the samosa inside two pieces of bread and eat it. However, I prefer to eat the snack without the bread. They also have Aloo Bonda, which seemed equally popular.

Palki Café

Meal for two: Rs 100 – 150

Address: Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, Rajasthan

After a long tiring walk inside the fort, one can enjoy sweet lassi, Bondas, Shikanji or even a doughnut at Palki Café. The al fresco seating with colourful shade is set near the main entrance of the fort. With impeccable hygiene standards, efficient service and affordable prices, this place makes up for a perfect den to chill.

Apart from these places there’s also Indique, Kalinga, Jeeman, Raas, Step Well Cafe where one can eat local delicacies. And there’s Café Mehran inside the Mehrangarh Fort. Let me know if there’s more to explore in this beautiful city.

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Hi! I'm Neeru Singh.
From being a Film Student to a trained Pastry Chef and now a full time Food Writer, food has always been my source of joy. Based out of Delhi, I travel often to cover honest heartfelt food stories from across the country. From a Kashmiri Wazwan to a traditional Himachali Dham feast, I consciously train my palate for diversity and a deeper understanding of flavours and cuisines. I also provide consultancy for restaurants and write for various online publications.